Holiday Skin Survival Guide: Tackling Dryness and Holiday Stress

"Because ‘festive’ doesn’t have to mean flaky."

Winter is here, and so is its most annoying guest: dry, cranky skin. Between braving the cold, cranking up the heat, and that stress breakout from holiday shopping (seriously, who invented Secret Santa?), your face might be in desperate need of a little TLC. Here’s how to survive the season without looking like Rudolph.

  • Drink Up (and Not Just Eggnog): Your skin needs hydration inside and out. Upgrade your routine with a hyaluronic acid serum and top it off with a moisturizer loaded with ceramides. Think of it as a puffer coat for your face.

    • Hyaluronic Acid Serum: Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum – Locks in moisture even in the harshest winter air.

    • Ceramide Moisturizer: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream – Budget-friendly and packed with skin barrier-loving ceramides.

  • Calm the Redness: Cold weather can leave your skin redder than Santa’s suit. Reach for a soothing serum with niacinamide to chill out your complexion. Pro tip: spritz a calming facial mist mid-day when you feel the heat (from your boss or your radiator).

    • Soothing Serum: Paula’s Choice CALM Redness Relief Repairing Serum – Banish redness with this calming, antioxidant-rich formula.

  • Embrace Oil, Not Fear It: Facial oils are winter skin’s best-kept secret. Dab a few drops over your moisturizer at night to wake up with a complexion smoother than your gift-wrapping skills.

    • Facial Oil: Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum – Luxe hydration for those extra-dry days.

  • De-Stress, Darling: Holiday stress is a one-way ticket to Breakout City. Incorporate adaptogens into your skincare or your tea to keep your cortisol in check. And yes, taking ten minutes to massage your face with a gua sha stone totally counts as self-care.

    • Facial Mist: Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray – A quick, soothing spritz to keep sensitivity in check.

    • Gua Sha Tool: Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool – Perfect for de-stressing while sculpting cheekbones.

This winter, let your skin shine brighter than the lights on your tree—no flakes or redness in sight. Cheers to surviving (and thriving) through the holiday madness!

Mo